


my favorite song is that of the heart

by bluecranes



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, mitsuki needs to be comforted and so does riku
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 06:11:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15701463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluecranes/pseuds/bluecranes
Summary: Riding on the coattails of his younger brother was the last way Mitsuki Izumi wanted to become an idol. Believing that he was nothing compared to his younger brother, he sought refuge in a cold glass of beer. If he would just come home, he'd find the comfort he's always been looking for.





	my favorite song is that of the heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ClockWorkJ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClockWorkJ/gifts).



Stumbling into the dorms and leaning against the wall, Mitsuki ran his fingers through his peach colored hair, wondering when the others would be back from their trip. With an exhausted sigh, he closed the door behind him, his drunken state not enough to keep him from forgetting about his own safety. The others were out for interviews and other gigs, and as much as Mitsuki  _ wanted _ to be busy...he just wasn’t. Not today, anyway. The silence of the dorm made him shiver, with the halls normally filled with laughter and good company. It was hardly 4 p.m. and the young idol had already gone drinking. Now was the question of what he’d spend the rest of his evening doing. He shuffled through their refrigerator, seeing a lone pudding at the back. It was very specifically marked with the letter “M,” indicating it was his emergency pudding for a rainy day and absolutely under no circumstances for Tamaki’s consumption. 

The weather outside was honestly quite nice, but the storm that was brewing beneath the surface of his thoughts reminded Mitsuki of a problem that had been plaguing him for some time. He stared at a space in the empty kitchen, his tear ducts beginning to burn once again. Rubbing his eyes, he swallowed his tears, not wanting to get worked up over nothing. He could hear their manager’s voice now.

_ “It’s fine Mitsuki-san! I’m sure your ratings will go up soon! Plenty of fans of Idolish7 love you!”  _

While he’d be eternally grateful to all of Idolish7’s fans, there was a world of difference between how they perceived him and, say, the duo from Mezzo”. For Mitsuki, being treated as everyone’s second favorite was painful. He wanted to be everyone’s number one idol, and it seemed like his brother wanted to make that a reality for him. He’d  _ always  _ wanted a little brother. Of course as a kid, the thought of having someone to always talk, sing, and have fun with had been exciting. But that only became more difficult as they got older and Mitsuki’s shining dreams of becoming an idol like Zero began to gray. It stung to see Iori succeeding in ways that he couldn’t. These depressing thoughts filled Mitsuki’s mind as he scooped up the pudding, shoving it sadly into his mouth to force down the thoughts. His face was wet with tears before he knew it, but a cough in the distance startled him from his spiral. He hopped off of the counter, going to investigate the sound. 

Everyone was supposed to be gone today, weren’t they? He peeked into each room before deciding to gently knock on Riku’s door. His red rimmed eyes peered in and saw their center on his bed, wrapped up in a blanket with a book on his lap. Sniffling back any trace of tears, Mitsuki flung the door the rest of the way open and marched into Riku’s room.

“Riku!” his voice echoed in the small room, making up his lack of cheer with volume, but he lowered his voice as he saw Riku visibly startle. He coughed again before smiling at the friendly intruder. 

“Mitsuki…” he said softly, his voice clearly hoarse from how much he had been coughing that day. “Come in, come in!” sounding as enthusiastic as he could despite looking like he had seen better days. Mitsuki immediately climbed into the bed, sprawling across Riku’s lap and plucking the book from his hands. Immediately the redhead tried to protest the theft, but knew he couldn’t say no to his elder. 

Holding it up, Mitsuki cast his eyes down the page realizing he couldn’t understand half of the words. They were all medical terms, and ones that he definitely didn’t recognize. Glancing up, his amber eyes met with Riku’s, who had a look of fond amusement on his face. 

“Don’t tell me you’re trying to cure yourself Riku! If you need help, or you aren’t feeling well, you know you can always count on me! On all of us!” he sat up, closing the book and putting it to the side. He gently pressed his hand to Riku’s forehead. 

“Are you sick? Weren’t you supposed to be out with the others today?”

A sheepish smile appeared on Riku’s face, absentmindedly scratching his chin, as he averted his gaze from Mitsuki.

“Well, my chest started hurting again so Iori insisted I stayed home…” 

Mitsuki could feel a flare of his earlier jealousy in chest at the mention of his brother, though it subsided when Riku spoke up again.

“I’m glad I don’t have to spend it alone though, now that I know that my favorite person is here with me!” 

Riku said it so effortlessly, like there was no doubt that his words were true. The way that his center placed all of that favor in him...it made his heart warm. Thoughts spun around in Mitsuki’s head like a tango, a cacophony of staccatos and glissandos. Every night he had been replaying Tsumugi’s voice in his mind like an ominous reminder. 

_ “Plenty of fans consider you their second favorite, so please don’t worry!” _

Her comfort had been innocent, but it had been wearing down on him for weeks. Riku’s words could be the change of everything. He found himself wrapped in his own thoughts again until he glanced up and looked at the red haired idol seriously. 

“You mean that?” 

“Well, of course I do. You’re always there for everyone, and we’d never have gotten this far without you keeping us all together. Whenever I’m sad, you know just how to cheer me up. Of  _ course _ you’re my favorite, Mitsuki!” 

Upon hearing that, Mitsuki surged forward and wrapped his arms around Riku, pulling him close and breathing into his neck, grinning uncontrollably as he did so. Riku could smell the alcohol on his breath, laughing nervously but petting Mitsuki’s head and comforting him the best he could.

“Were you day drinking again, Mitsuki? That’s definitely not good for your liver.” he murmured with concern, though he knew Mitsuki wasn’t really listening. He and his partner in crime Yamato had been going out for drinks during the day quite often, though to know he went out by himself was depressing.

“Say it again.”

“What, that drinking is bad for your liver?”   
  
“No! the  _ other  _ thing!” he flicked Riku in the forehead, not wanting to hear any more criticisms of his drinking habits. 

_ “You’re my favorite.” _ Riku stated decisively. The hand that rested in Mitsuki’s hair slowly slid to his cheek, gently caressing the flushed skin there. Mitsuki’s face was still rosy from the hints of alcohol, but the deeper blush that spread on his cheeks as Riku made his declaration again was satisfying. 

“No one...no one thinks that!” Mitsuki fought back, the day’s stress finally breaking through in the wake of such tender treatment. “You’re just..saying that to make me feel better. You’re an amazing center, the most talented person I know, and just...you’ve made everyone in Idolish7 a better person! A better idol! A better...everything!” 

Riku’s brows furrowed as he pulled his companion closer for a hug. He hushed him, rubbing his back while soothing him. “No...no way. I wouldn’t say that unless I truly meant it, Mitsuki. You really are my favorite person in the world,” he breathed happily, just glad to be in his presence. It was rare that the two of them had time alone. With their busy schedules and constantly being surrounded by the others, Riku never had this chance.

“You draw everyone in because you’re such a ray of energy. You keep us together. You’re Idolish7’s glue. We definitely wouldn’t be able to work through those hard days without you.” He pulled away ever so slightly, despite Mitsuki’s clinging. He wiped the tears from the older boy’s cheeks with his sleeve.

“You’re so important to each and every one of us. We wouldn’t be Idolish7 without you. I definitely wouldn’t be a good center without you,” he continued, running his fingers through his hair to soothe him. Mitsuki looked back with uncharacteristically sad eyes, trying to take in as much as he could. It was hard accepting the words that his leader said, especially with so much that he had already internalized. 

“Then please...let me be selfish. Let me have all of the center’s attention just for today...” Mitsuki wanted to indulge himself with the center, taking off the pink rimmed glasses the other boy was wearing and tossing them behind his head. Riku didn’t protest, instead letting Mitsuki press him further into the pillows. He’d never noticed the gold and orange flecks in his center’s eyes, and the way they reflected light was more beautiful up close. Mitsuki committed every new detail to memory, the blush spreading from Riku’s cheeks to his neck, then spreading further down onto his chest. Mitsuki mused they were like cherry blossoms. He could tell Riku’s nerves were getting the best of him, his hands shaking slightly with anticipation. 

Mitsuki took the lead and closed his eyes as leaned in and turned his face ever so slightly, his lips brushing against Riku’s. Everything slowed as Riku tried to take in every sensation. His movements were nervous and stuttered as he slid his hands further into Mitsuki’s hair. He wanted to treasure this moment. He wanted both of them to keep this memory forever. 

“Anything for my favorite person.” 

In that moment, everything froze, the sounds of the outside faded away and all Mitsuki could hear was the music between their hearts. The loud beating of his own chest was in time with Riku’s, as he pulled him closer to kiss him. Riku’s lips were softer than he imagined, and he leaned in to feel them push back against his own. It was as if the melody had finally found it's harmony, and both of the lovers’ hearts were perfectly in time. Once he felt their hearts beating together, it was as if someone was playing his favorite song. 

Riku could still taste the alcohol on Mitsuki’s lips, the bitterness being melted away as Riku returned his affections. Each kiss was a reminder that he was loved. That he was important. And that he had a special place in Riku’s heart, no matter what the world said. Mitsuki would know that he was someone’s favorite. 

“Riku…” 

The two parted, and Mitsuki’s eyes fluttered open, amber meeting red in a heated gaze. Embarrassed, Mitsuki looked away, realizing how carried away he got.

“Haha...sorry Riku. I guess I was a little too selfish huh?” 

Shaking his head, the redhead took Mitsuki’s face in his hands and made him meet his eyes.

“You haven’t been selfish enough. You’re always putting out so much work and care for the others..but right now, let someone else take care of you, okay Mitsu?” The pet name rolled off his tongue as he felt Mitsuki melt into him, letting his body completely decompress. He ran his fingers through his hair once again, soothing the older boy on top of him. They rolled over to their sides, and Mitsuki’s half-lidded eyes were bright, a hidden glow of content beneath them. He would stay with Riku like this forever if he could.    
  
“You really are the best, you know that Riku?” he praised him quietly, running his fingers through his asymmetrical hair, and tucking the longest piece behind his ear. 

“Haha...I’m really not. Everyone knows that I’m not the better brother. Or the better center.”   
  
“Eh? Are you seriously talking about Kujo?” Mitsuki glared, pinching Riku’s cheek. “You’re the best idol in the world, Riku! Screw him, seriously! No one is as amazing as Idolish7’s center and that’s a fact!” 

“Ahaha...come on, don’t say things like that about Tenn-nii...he’s really not that bad. But I’m glad you’d say that about me… hehe.. Even though Tenn-nii seems like he’s perfect at everything…” 

Mitsuki shook his head, completely understanding where Riku was coming from. 

“To me, Iori seems like the perfect little brother. He’s good at everything too, you know,” the peach haired boy said, gently brushing his fingertips against Riku’s cheek. 

“But...I can’t keep comparing myself to him. I have to just...be the best version of me, right? Just like you can’t keep comparing yourself to Kujo. You have to be the best Riku you can be.” 

The words were hard to swallow, but Riku knew that Mitsuki was right. He bit his lip and nodded, trying not to get choked up at such an important moment. They were the words that he kept trying to tell himself, but hearing it from such a special person validated it for him. The two needed to stop chasing after their brothers’ perfection, and treasure what they had within themselves. 

“Okay. I’ll work on not getting so caught up with reaching Tenn-nii, as long as you also stop comparing yourself to Iori, okay? Iori’s great but there’s plenty of things I know you can do way better than him.” 

Mitsuki hesitated, knowing that it had long been ingrained into his mind and would be a hard habit to shake off. But with someone to encourage him and remind him everyday of his worth...the reassurance rang truer than it ever had before.

“Anything for  _ my _ favorite person!” 

“Hey, that’s my line!” 

Giggling, Mitsuki allowed the blankets to envelop them both, shrouding them from the rest of the world. The setting sun cast shadows on the wall as their whispers lingered only enough for them to hear. The duo wasn’t awake long enough to hear the others return, who found them soundly tucked away in a warm embrace. 

Mitsuki’s ear was pressed firmly to Riku’s chest as if he couldn’t get enough of his favorite song.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you @ClockJester for commissioning me for this rare but incredibly sweet ship. I love the dynamic of these two so much, and I really think that they can find solace in one another. They're both so energetic, but never take care of themselves so they need to remind each other to do that! Want me to write something? Or just want to scream about i7? Hit me up on twitter @flyhinata!


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